Tsigan: The Gypsy Poem is a book-length poetic meditation that intertwines the author's personal journey of identity with the larger forces in the world that have shaped the fate and fortunes of the Roma people, also known as Gypsies. Originally published in 2001, Tsigan has been brought up to date and expanded to encompass the ongoing struggles of the Roma people in the midst of a rising tide of xenophobia.

Shoah Foundation executive director Stephen D. Smith has called this new edition of Tsigan, “A lyrical journey through history and memory so beautiful that at times it belies the deep pain it represents.” Poet and critic Carol Muske-Dukes has called it, "a daring, dancing conflagration in the reader's hand.

I'd have to say that this Après Midi was both the noisiest and the most fun! Oliver Gee of the Earful Tower had us all enthralled and in hysterics. First he handed out half-sheets of paper and asked everyone to fill it in.

It read:

Oliver here, today’s guest. I’m going to be doing some quick-fire interviews with the crowd today, and I want to hear some interesting and quirky stuff from you guys.Please answer the following questions in as few words as possible. If your answers are chosen, you’ll be selected to hit the stage for a quick interview with podcaster Oliver Gee.Be as creative, original, and mysterious with your answers to increase your chances of being picked. Name: What’s your fave thing to do in Paris? What’s your Paris “secret” or hidden spot? What’s your top tip for a tourist in Paris? If you fill out this form, you’re consenting to being filmed in a live Facebook video on The Earful Tower.

We filled them in and handed them back to Oliver. He went through them and I saw him circle a few key phrases he thought would make interesting material. A lot of people wrote very similar answers to some of the questions.

Before he called up various people he chose to interview...live and on video...he told a bit about himself and his podcasts – how, as a journalist, he came to Paris on assignment to cover the Charlie Hebdo attack, how he stayed, and how he came to be in the business of podcasts, all rather by chance and "organically."

Oliver is a natural at interviewing. He can make anyone feel comfortable at a mic or in front of a camera. He asks quirky, interesting questions. And he contributes a bit of himself into the equation. In essence, he's hugely likable and it's no wonder his podcasts are growing so rapidly in popularity.

Once we heard the story, including the one story that seriously launched his career about crocodiles in the Canal St. Martin and Seine (be sure to watch it), he was ready to start to call up the interviewees:

To watch yesterday’s live show at Après Midi, you’ll have to request access to the subscriber-only Facebook group. When you’re asked if you’re a paying subscriber, just mention "Adrian Leeds" and you’ll get in free (temporarily).

The best way to follow The Earful Tower is to visit the Facebook page.

Newlyweds follow a job opportunity to Paris, France, so they can enjoy one last move before buying a house and having kids. He's a true romantic and has his heart set on finding a home with Parisian charm in the city center, no matter the cost. However, she's concerned about the budget and wants to save on a home so they have money left over to travel.

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